Peaceful
School
Bus
Peaceful
Program
School Bus
Program
© 2008 by Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved.
What are some common
problems on school buses?
 Bullying
 Older students “staking claim” to
certain areas of the school bus
 Loud noise, shouting
 Disrespect of personal property
 Other problems
Why is the environment on a
school bus so difficult to manage?
 It is an impersonal environment: students
all sit facing forward.
 The driver is not looking directly at the
students.
 The driver is often farthest away from
the students who are causing
problems.
Difficult environment
(continued)
 The noise level is very loud.
 The bus has no visible connection to
school or home.
 The bus is often a cramped space.
 Usually only overt physical actions are
caught; more subtle problems are missed.
 Problems that go undetected can
escalate.
Why don’t traditional disciplinary
approaches alone work?
 They only address a fraction of the
harmful behaviors that occur.
 They don’t address hurtful behaviors
that are not against the rules.
 They fail to teach students the skills
or knowledge needed to solve
conflicts effectively.
The problems with traditional
approaches (continued)
 They make the students who get caught
more self-centered and less empathetic.
 They require students to think rationally in
a very emotional environment.
 They set low expectations for student
behavior.
A different approach
is needed . . .
The Peaceful School Bus Program!
What is the Peaceful School
Bus Program?
 A schoolwide program
 A program designed to decrease
inappropriate behavior on the school bus
 A program designed to create a climate
of respect and cooperation on the bus
 A program designed to change the
social dynamics on the bus by building
strong relationships among students
and the bus driver
The Peaceful School Bus
Program is not a . . .
 Discipline program
 Training for bus drivers
 Curriculum
Who is the Peaceful School
Bus Program designed for?
 The program is designed for students in
elementary school and can be adapted for
middle school or junior high school students.
 The program can be used with high school
students if they play a mentoring role.
 The program can be adapted for use with
after-school programs, sports teams,
and other youth-serving organizations.
What are the goals
of the program?
The main goal:
Develop a positive and
safe environment on the
school bus for all students.
The main goal is achieved by
addressing these subgoals
 Decrease the amount of inappropriate
behaviors on the school bus.
 Decrease the amount of time spent
disciplining students for inappropriate
behaviors on the school bus.
 Decrease the amount of bullying
that occurs on the school bus.
Subgoals (continued)
 Increase students’ sense of responsibility
for what happens on the school bus.
 Create a cooperative and supportive
relationship between the school and
the school transportation department.
 Recognize the identity of the bus
route group as an important entity.
Subgoals (continued)
 Create greater trust among all stakeholders
in the school bus: students, parents, school staff
members, and transportation staff members.
 Improve communication among all stakeholders.
 Support and strengthen the existing discipline
procedures designed to address school
bus problems.
What is the history
of the program?
 It was developed in a real-world setting in
an elementary school in upstate New York.
 Prior to implementation, the school had
approximately 58 bus discipline referrals
per year.
 The average number of bus
discipline referrals per year after
implementation was 9.
History of the program
(continued)
 In 2004, the New York State Sharing
Success Network recognized the program
as a Promising Practice.
 The program has now been successfully
implemented in other school districts.
 It is being well-received at state and
national education and school
transportation conferences.
What are the program’s
key principles?
 Principle 1: Accept problems as
opportunities for learning.
 Principle 2: Change the social
environment of the school bus and
students’ behavior will change.
Key principles (continued)
 Principle 3: Influence can be powerful
in changing behavior.
 Principle 4: Changing the social
environment and improving each
student’s experience on the bus
is a shared responsibility.
Key principles (continued)
 Principle 5: The gesture itself
(implementing the program) has power
and influence.
 Principle 6: Problems will still occur but
they will be easier to resolve if they’re
identified when they are small
rather than when they are big.
Key principles (continued)
 Principle 7: Students must develop a
sense of responsibility or the sense that
they can effect change in a variety of
positive ways.
 Principle 8: Significant change takes
time and commitment.
Key principles (continued)
 Principle 9: Education works.
What are the program’s
main components?
 Establish a schoolwide committee to
coordinate implementation.
 Hold a training for all participating
school staff.
 Inform parents of the program.
 All students in a bus route group
meet approximately 3 times a
year for 45 minutes each time.
A bus route group is . . .
A group of students who
regularly ride to and from school
together on a school bus.
Main components
(continued)
 A team of teachers and teaching
assistants lead the bus route group
meetings.
 School transportation staff and bus
drivers are invited to participate in
the program.
 Regular check-ins are done
with bus drivers.
Main components
(continued)
 The program is repeated annually and
becomes part of the regular school schedule.
 During the meetings, students take part in
activities designed to build relationships.
 During the meetings, students in higher
grades are paired with students in lower
grades.
Main components
(continued)
 During the meetings, students discuss bus
problems and solutions.
 During the meetings, students are taught
about bullying.
 Processes are put in place to facilitate
reporting of bullying or other negative
behaviors on the school bus.
Why use the Peaceful
School Bus Program?
 It approaches school bus problems from a




positive perspective.
It moves schools from a reactive approach
to a proactive approach.
It puts character education into practice.
It demonstrates the school’s commitment to
parents and students.
It creates a greater sense of teamwork
among school staff members and
bus drivers.
What is required to
implement the program?
 Very little financial cost—all materials are
provided in the implementation guide.
 The implementation guide includes a manual,
a CD-ROM, and a DVD.
 One guide is needed for each committee
member and each bus route group leader.
 One guide is needed for each school
administrator.
 No specialized training is required.
What is required to implement
the program? (continued)
 The program does require administrative
support and staff buy-in.
 The program will require some changes
to the school calendar.
 The program needs to be implemented
over the long-term.
What is the role of a bus
route group leader?
 Meet and greet students as they arrive
at the bus route group meeting location
 Lead the meeting activities
 Help adapt or revise activities to fit the
needs of students
What happens at a bus route
group meeting?
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






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Student arrival
At the start
Getting attention
Checking for understanding
Forming pairs
Energizers and warm-ups
Main activity
Large group processing
Dismissal
What is covered in the
meeting’s main activity?
 Orientation to the Peaceful School Bus
Program
 Building identity for the bus route group
 Problem-solving
 Bullying issues
 Assessment and affirmation
A time for questions and
answers . . .
(Insert your contact information here)
Every Child Deserves a
Peaceful School Bus!
© 2008 by Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved.